Even if ISM 2021 is not able to take place in a physical form this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the world's largest trade fair for sweets and snacks remains to be the central platform for industry innovations even during these challenging times. ISM is hereby offering its exhibitors the possibility to present their new products on the New Product Database. In total 67 exhibitors (2020: 100) from 20 countries participated with 107 products. In the scope of the already announced new products and trend campaign, the products will additionally be presented via the social media channels of the trade fair. The highlight will be the selection of the top 3 innovations of ISM 2021 by an expert jury, which will be presented in March.

This year's new products demonstrate above all one thing: Even in the year 2021, there is no way around the two trends, healthy snacking and enjoyment, for the sweets manufacturers. A further emphasis lies on important factors such as texture, color and taste. In addition to fresh, fruity taste experiences with natural colors and flavors as well as dried fruits, crispy snacks like small balls of cereals with or without chocolate, healthy biscuits or fat-free crisps are in keeping with the trend. These include for instance products such as organic cereal bites in the flavors sesame and sunflower seeds or coconut/pumpkin seeds, crunchy cookies filled with peanuts and hazelnuts, Crispy Cups waffle cones with a creamy filling or crunchy cereals covered with chocolate and natural fruit powder. Raw ingredients such as dried berries, nuts or seeds also play an important role on the snacks scene. The new products include organic crackers, snack-sized bars of dark chocolate with red berries and linseed or candied orange peel covered in tender chocolate.

The wide variety of sweets and snacks that contain no animal-based ingredients is noticeable. Hence "plant-based" is also prevailing as a trend in the sweets and snacks industry. Furthermore, the transparency with regards to the ingredients or product origin plays an ever-increasing role for the consumer. The clean label trend is also asserting itself more and more in the sweets industry. Especially in the case of chocolate and chocolate products, there is for example an increasing number of alternatives that contain no cow's milk, such as OAT MILK drinking chocolate. The offer also includes vegan, lavender or marigold-flavored honey varieties.

A further focus of the products lies on the theme sustainability, because naturalness and sustainability are of key significance when purchasing sweets and salty snacks. Over the past few years, there has already been a growing number of exhibitors, who were registered under the trend theme "fairly traded products." The focus is on sustainable raw materials and sustainable packaging comprising of less plastic, because climate protection and resource-saving production processes are also one of the top priorities of the consumers. Sustainability often goes hand in hand with organic, vegan and vegetarian. For example, the exhibitors are presenting organic crackers or organic biscuits, vegan marshmallows, vegan gluten-free fruit sticks, premium chocolate in organic and Fairtrade quality or vegan truffles in the New Product Database.

Proteins are a long-term trend. The theme health plays an important role for the consumers here. Whereby, the taste is and continues to be decisive. The manufacturers are presenting for instance new "fiber" bars, which stimulate the bowel functions or vegan protein bars that consist to 100% of plant protein with no added sugar. Other new variants are protein chocolate enriched with peanuts or protein peanut butter chocolates.

The children aren't to be left out either. As well as party bottles or dextrose necklaces, the manufacturers are offering fruit puzzles in four different flavors made of dried fruits or a playing and learning tablet sweets mixture that features an Emoji quiz.

Overview of the New Products 2021: https://bit.ly/2ZnLkzX